greetingarts

roundabout babies

I've been meaning to blog about the Roundabout Burp & Bib pattern I tested back in August for Michele of calicodaisy, but the days totally got away from me.  Where the heck did September go?  Every day is a mad rush of school, volunteering, library, knitting, shuttling people around, cooking, cleaning, laundry.  Homework, groceries, baths, teeth brushing, storytime.  I feel like I don't sit down unless I'm in the car or in front of the computer.  Anyway, I'm not complaining, our days are full and happy.  I'm just... explaining why friends and family rarely hear from me anymore.

So anyway, the pattern is a great one, and I think it took me only a little over a half hour (?) to make this.  The back is a super soft fleece-y material I had on hand, and the patterned fabric is a flannel from Jo-Ann.  I haven't put the fasteners on yet, don't know whether my sister and brother-in-law will prefer Velcro or snaps.  I remember having a very strong preference for Velcro when my babies were in the bib stage, but I thought I'd ask first.

The idea behind the pattern is that it's two things in one... a large bib to protect baby's clothes while feeding, and then later, you sling it over your own shoulder to protect yourself while burping the baby.  It's a generous size, about 22" x  8".  With all these baby items I'm making lately, you'd think *I* was pregnant! 

No, I'm not.  Very, very not.  One night my husband looked at the kids sleeping and remarked how big they were getting.  I agreed, and he joked, "So when are we having another one?"  That's the first time he's been the one to say that!  They really are growing up so quickly, and it does make me a little sad sometimes.  But then I think about potty training.  And this post, and I'm grateful for the moment I'm in. 

My husband and I will just have to borrow my nephew on occasion, and I think we'll be fine...

winner winner winner

A few weeks ago I hit a very lucky streak as far as blog giveaways go, and I have gotten such goodies brought to my doorstep that I just have to share.

First to arrive was a big package from Kelsey of Vanilla Joy. Inside was Trunki, the totally cute suitcase my kids are riding on.  They even make a ladybug (love the name and the music)!  It's just the right size for a weekend trip to Grandma's and Grandpa's, or simply to carry beloved things around the house.  I gave this to Jessie, because I figured Rebecca was too heavy for it.  But as you can see, they can *both* ride on it pretty comfortably.

Here they are using it as transportation for Tinkerbell, Silvermist and Fawn.  This Trunki is durable, I can vouch for that.  Jessie drags it around, over and into all sorts of obstacles.  Furniture, shoes, toys, people, nothing can stand in their way.  I'd wanted to buy one (or two) of these since I first saw it over at the Junior Society, but frugality took over and I refrained.  So winning this was even sweeter, since it's something I already took a liking to months ago.

Next to land in my mailbox was my copy of the Sewing: 2010 Day-to-Day Calendar that I won from Ellen of The Long Thread.  So many great, generally quick projects from all around the blogosphere compiled into one, compact, easy-to-access box.  There were some projects I'd never seen before, and many that I had bookmarked but never got around to.  So nice to have the directions printed out, in front of me, for whenever I'm ready.

Finally, the most recent goodie from my mailman is Paper Fashions Fantasy, a glittery, glitzy, glamourous pink wonder that I received from Linda of Craft Apple.  I'm sure you've seen it pop up all over the craft blogs, it's published by Klutz (we just love their stuff!) and I think the cute little wire hangers are adorable enough just on their own.  I can't wait to pull this out on a boring Saturday, or during the next school vacation when it's raining or too cold to go outside (oh, wait, that's just wishful thinking again, it was 103 degrees today).

Thanks so very much, ladies.  My girls and I are extremely lucky and we totally know and appreciate it.

maybe I should move on

I finished up another little baby blanket this weekend, my third in a few months.  I think I need to stop now, at least for a while.  Wouldn't want to be too boring, you know. 

This one is about 23" square, crocheted with an I hook and Lion Brand's Pound of Love in Antique White.  Another fast project, the pattern is easily memorized, but is still interesting and entertaining to crochet.

As usual, it got tested out the moment it was finished, but this one will be going to charity when I have my next knitting guild meeting.

And now, I'm on to Halloween costumes.  Rebecca wants to be Pearl, The Cloud Fairy, so tonight I plan to cast on and start knitting those pink-and-white striped knee high socks.  The worsted weight yarn (in Carnation and White) has already met with her approval, and I'm hoping they knit up quickly on size 5 or 6 needles.  I'll do them toe-up so she can try them on as I go.

We put up the first of the Halloween decorations yesterday, in a feeble attempt to lay out the welcome mat for Fall and herald in some cooler temperatures.  I don't think it worked too well, it's supposed to be 94 today, and 101 tomorrow and Wednesday.  Ugh.

gummy yummies

I'm trying to clean out my pantry lately, because we have too many old boxes and cans of things that haven't been used in ages.  Cous cous, Spam, some things I don't even recall buying.  Dear sister, did you give me a box of instant flan like a decade ago?  I think I moved it here from our old house.  I don't even *like* flan.  Maybe I should give it back to you at the baby shower...

Anyway, so I was looking for a way to use up the box of lemon-flavored Jell-O and found a recipe for gummy candy.  Unfortunately, I can't remember where I found it so I can't link to it, but I do remember what the ingredients were.

 

1 package of instant Jell-O, any flavor (you'll want to use the kind that has sugar in it, no need to be healthy here, you are making gummy candies, after all)

3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin

a generous 1/3 cup of water (that means put a little bit more than 1/3 of a cup)

You melt all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan, then spoon into your molds.  I used some IKEA silicone ice cube trays (filled only halfway) and a chocolate candy alphabet mold.  I had to work quickly, since this stuff really is sticky and starts to get difficult to pour.  But I'm sure you can remelt it by heating it up again, too.  When they've solidified after just minutes in the refrigerator, you just pop them out and into the nearest open, impatiently waiting mouth.  I didn't have any trouble removing them from the molds, since they're rubbery and bendable (both the molds and the candies).

This totally reminds me of the Rainbow Finger Jell-O my mom used to make for potlucks when we were little.  Almond (white) Jell-O and layers of red, green and yellow goodness.  It was always so hard for me to wait for each color to solidify.  Rainbow Finger Jell-O and watermelon baskets, those were my mom's standbys.  Remember, Mom?

The girls had a great time with this, although Rebecca now says (after greedily licking the spoon and fighting over the saucepan), that she doesn't like the taste, just the smell.  That's quite all right, Jessie likes the gummies enough for both of them and will be more than happy to eat the whole batch herself.

quicker turnaround

I learned my lesson after finally finishing the baby blanket that took me years to make.  For my next one, I went completely opposite with everything. 

Instead of crochet, I picked a knitted pattern.  Instead of switching between four different colors of baby weight yarn, this time I used a single shade of super bulky Sirdar Denim Ultra for the main part of the blanket, and Caron's Simply Soft in Berry Blue for the border.  And the needles?  Oh, that was the best part.  Size 15 for the main portion, size 13 for the border.  Ha!  Take that, D hook!

 

I chose these colors because I had a certain very important baby-to-be in mind, whose gender was still unknown at the time...  But now I know I'm going to have a nephew!  I still think the colors are okay, but if my big sister doesn't think this is appropriate, I'll donate this one to charity and then start on another.  This blanket was so soft, so quick,  so rewarding.  It measures about 26" square, and took about 6 days.  The pattern is from the Purl Bee, and I'm sure I'll be making more.

Now, off to find fun baby boy patterns.  That's a new one for me!

no turtle's pace here

I finished up Mama Turtle and her Babies a couple of weeks ago (man, are they flying by or what?!), but haven't had time to take pictures or blog about it until now.  Yup, the irony hasn't escaped me, either.  The school year is off with a bang, and the girls and I have been super busy.  It's all good, but every day seems jam-packed and I feel like I'm running a mile a minute until I fall into bed after midnight.  I'm sleeping well at night, though, that's for sure.

This pattern is from Ana Paula Rimoli's second book, Amigurumi Two! Crocheted Toys for Me and You and Baby Too.  The babies and cracked egg store inside Mama's shell, which I think is hilarious (because it's kind of anatomically correct, if you know what I mean), yet also very practical.  The finishing instructions for where to attach the legs and head are a little vague, so I made the neck and limbs look too long, but it's easy enough to eyeball it.  If I hadn't been so lazy hasty, I could have - should have - adjusted it a lot better.  But the kids think she's cute, and love the babies, so it's fine.  And now that's another project crossed off the list.

dream

Looking at this makes me and my girls happy.  Night or day, dreaming is always a good thing.  Regina's artwork is so full of depth and dimension, the colors are vibrant and the quality of the print is just excellent.  Go check out her shop, it's chock full of goodies.  Thank you so much, my friend, it's a treasure.

it's dang hot

We're just trying to keep cool here.  This is what we all need, giant ice cream cones that don't melt.

I hope it starts dipping below 100 pretty darn soon.  Before even these cones start dripping.